This invention relates generally to the art of building number display devices, and more particularly to illuminated building-number displays.
Over the years a number of illuminated building-number assemblies have been suggested including those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,505,625 to Dearth, U.S. Pat. No. 1,657,967 to Kichline, U.S. Pat. No. 1,709,202 to Bedlin, U.S. Pat. No. 1,861,920 to Holman, U.S. Pat. No. 2,225,961 to Rundberg, U.S. Pat. No. 2,511,411 to Mitchell, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,601,733 to Durey. However, all of these systems are complicated to construct in that they require multiple diverse manufacturing steps, parts and materials. It is an object of this invention to provide a building number illumination assembly whose major components are manufactured in the same manner and whose electrical components are off-the-shelf items.
Another difficulty with most of prior art illuminated building-number assemblies is that they are relatively complicated to use, sometimes requiring a great deal of finger dexterity and knowledge to replace and/or change numbers and bulbs thereof. It is an object of this invention to provide a building number illumination device which is uncomplicated in use so that one inexperienced with tools can easily change and/or replace the numbers and bulbs thereof.
Another difficulty with most building-number illumination assemblies is that they having housings enclosing incandescent bulbs so that light can be directed at translucent number plates thereof. The incandescent bulbs and housings become extremely hot. This heat tends to prematurely "burn out" the incandescent bulbs and sometimes causes a hazard by making the housing rather dangerous to the touch. Also, it has usually been necessary to use particularly expensive construction to form the housings of the prior-art building number illumination devices so that they could withstand prolonged heat. It is an object of this invention to provide a building-number illumination device whose bulb has a particularly long life, which is not a safety hazard, and which can be made of inexpensive, easy-to-form, molded, material.